The present Invention relates to an economical and practical structural system for roofs that can be moved horizontally to be opened or closed. More specific applications of the present Invention are sport facilities such as football and baseball stadiums.
Operable roofs for stadiums allow an adjustable environment for any type of sport event at any time. When the climate is pleasant, the roof can be opened for an outdoor environment for the events. However, if the climate is not suitable for outdoor events, such as rain, snow, or excessive sun or heat, then the roof can be closed to provide an indoor shelter. The operation of the roof movement in this invention is practical and accomplished in a relatively short time to accommodate ongoing events during changes in weather.
Several retractable dome-shaped roofs have been designed and built over stadiums, one of which is the Montreal Olympic Stadium. The system used have been expensive to build or difficult to operate. Other types of designs are used such as "Operable Roof" U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,125, "Movable dome-type roof for structure" U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,851, "Openable roof apparatus" U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,594. The system in the present Invention provides a different design than previous operable roof designs which is more economical and is easier to operate.